ACTON Elementary APPLICATION

STEP 2

Step 2

First, dig deep into the Acton Academy Website, including the Acton Academy Elementary School blog and Parent blog. We also ask you to read Courage to Grow by Laura Sandefer, Unschooling Rules by Clark Aldrich or watch Jeff Sandefer's TEDx talk.

1. What were the most significant discoveries from the website, blogs, suggested readings or Jeff Sandefer's TEDx talk? (Please feel free to include observations from any of the other books or TED talks.) *

2. How would you describe the perfect teacher for your child and how would you measure whether he or she is advancing quickly enough? *

3. Do you believe your child is a genius who deserves to find a calling that changes the world? How will you continue to pursue your child's learning adventures if there are no immediate openings at Acton Academy? *

4. How did you find out about Acton Academy? *

Three types of parents struggle at Acton Academy in ways that are not helpful for their families: *

1. Those who believe the only path to higher education or success is through a traditional education model and believe that platform is a better fit for their student.
2. Those who are "blamers" and ultimately will gossips and criticize, no matter what.
3. Those who aren't sure their child is ready yet for the responsibility and struggles --and occasional tears -- of truly independent learning (and may be right.)
4. Those who are not committed to a Hero's Journey for themselves. This means that you must trust that learning through challenges, failures and successes are required to develop the grit and determination that every Hero possesses.
Given how far you have come in this process, it is unlikely any of these apply to you or your spouse. But because talking to others in your former educational community is an important part of our audition process, please describe how being in our community might play a part in your personal Hero's Journey and how a teacher/principal at your child's school or a close friend would honestly and frankly describe how you and your spouse might soar and struggle as a parent in a non-traditional educational format.